


Reading Between the Silence

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Drama, F/M, Humor, Romance, post-episode
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-28
Updated: 2012-09-28
Packaged: 2017-11-15 04:37:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/523221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When you were in the FBI long enough, all chickens came home to roost.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reading Between the Silence

**Author's Note:**

> SPOILERS FOR 8X01 THE SILENCER!!!! Alex Blake is still growing on me but this ship is old hat.

‘ _You left me_.’ –Erin

‘ _I didn’t leave you_.’ –Dave

‘ _You ran faster than I've seen you since the chili cheese fries debacle_.’ –Erin 

‘ _You said bed, I got excited. I can't be blamed for that_.’ –Dave 

‘ _Where did you go_?’ –Erin

‘ _I'm in the parking lot waiting for you. I've been waiting for over 20 minutes. I probably look like an ass_.’ –Dave

‘ _We’re not really playing that game anymore, are we David_?’ –Erin

‘ _I'm not playing games. Woman, come down here so we can go home. I haven’t seen my bed in days_.’ –Dave

‘ _I have_.’ –Erin

‘ _Good, you can tell me all about it. I want you to talk slow. And you should take off your clothes while doing it. What are you doing up there_?’ –Dave

‘ _I'm in my office preparing for the morning. I really need to stay an extra hour or so_.’ –Erin

‘ **GET DOWN HERE!** ’ –Dave

‘ _We’re on caps lock now_?’ –Erin

‘ _I'm not spending another night without my wife. Don’t make me come up there and get you_.’ –Dave

‘ _I dare you_.’ –Erin

‘ _Woman_ …’ –Dave

‘ _I’m coming, LOL_.’ –Erin

‘ _Not yet but you will be_.’ –Dave

‘ _You’re insane_.’ –Erin

‘ _You make me crazy, it’s a known fact. Are you on the elevator yet_?’ –Dave

‘ _I have to get my coat_.’ Erin

‘ _You don’t need it, its warm outside_.’ –Dave

‘ _It’s hard to get ready to leave and text at the same time_.’ –Erin

‘ _OK, I’ll count to 200 and then you need to be in front of me_.’ –Dave

‘ _I’ll start for you. 1, 2, 3_ …’ –Erin

She smiled, dropping the cell phone into her Prada bag. It had been a long day, a long couple of days. She was glad that Dave was home tonight. The truth was there was always another case out there. They could be right back on a plane tomorrow or the next day. And sending them home might have been slightly selfish on her part but she wasn’t the only one missing a lover or spouse tonight. 

This job wasn’t just difficult on the agents but on their loved ones too. Her floor was silent as Erin pressed down on the elevator. The night was over for most of the BAU. She could guarantee that Hotch was still in his office as she should be in hers. She saw JJ and Reid run off. Penelope and Morgan probably weren't far behind. 

She didn’t know where Alex was and didn’t quite care. Erin didn’t want to have to deal with that everyday but it was a hazard of the job. When you were in the FBI long enough, all chickens came home to roost. She never pretended to be perfect. She’d been screwed with her pants on by the Bureau as well. 

No one cared about the hell she went through and she didn’t plan to bore them with the stories. Erin just wasn’t going to be the fall guy baddie anymore. She’d made mistakes, amends, and more mistakes. All that mattered to her right now was a glass of something good with a side of hot Italian loving. On the seventh floor, the elevator door opened and Alex Blake stood in front of her.

“You can wait for the next one if you'd like.” Erin said. She needed to get out of there. Rossi was sure to tell her how far past 200 he got waiting for her.

“It’s fine.”

Alex got on, repressed the L button and the door closed. Erin wanted to speak but didn’t. She didn’t go to bat for Alex. She let her take the fall even though she was sure a few of her superiors deserved it more. But they were higher ranked and it would've been a bitch putting them on the hook for anything. If she’d tried, she might have ended up on the line to dry. 

So Erin let it go. She let them blame Alex and moved on with her life. It wasn’t aggressive, but it was passive-aggressive. The result was the same, another point for Strauss as the dragon lady of Quantico. It wasn’t always good to be king.

Being hated was something she didn’t like. While it didn’t keep her up at night, it wasn’t her favorite thing in the world. She loved her job just as much as everyone else who came there everyday and fought the good fight. She just couldn’t always be the good guy. It came with the territory.

“Goodnight.” She walked past Alex as they got off the elevator. 

Erin quickly signed out and left the building. She didn’t need Alex seeing her and Dave get in the car together, not that it really mattered. That bit of juicy gossip would get to her soon enough. Their relationship was surely the Bureau’s worse kept secret.

“459.” Dave was leaning on his Mangusta as she walked up.

“Hmm, I was sure it would've been in the 500s by now at least.”

“I was counting slowly. C'mere baby.”

“Get in the car David.”

He walked around to the passenger side and opened her door. Dave stole a kiss while Erin was climbing in. She tried, unsuccessfully, to swat him away. Then he got into the driver’s seat and started the car. Elton John came through the speakers singing _Tiny Dancer_. Erin leaned the seat back and closed her eyes.

“Long day?” he asked.

“It’s been a long week, long month, and a very long year.”

“Things are getting back on course.”

“It was tough to lose Emily Prentiss.” Erin said. “We were never friends but she was one of the best profilers I’d seen in a long time. Did I tell you Clyde Easter called to gloat?”

“I can't say I'm surprised. I'm also sure that he was very proper about it. Alex could be a good addition to the team.”

“We’ll see.”

“What does that mean?” Dave asked.

“It means what it means.”

“There's something between the two of you, isn’t there?”

“Well there was this one time in Pasadena but we don’t discuss it. I think the proper term might be tequila lesbians. It’s all pretty hazy.”

“You're cute.” Dave smirked.

“I know.”

“I'm being serious.”

“Of course you're being serious,” Erin glanced at him. “You always are when you say I'm cute.”

“Erin…”

“I haven’t seen you in days. Can we not talk about Alex Blake? If we’re going to walk down memory lane tonight I would prefer it not be about that.”

“I’ll shut up about it.”

“That would be a first.”

Now Dave glanced at her. Things were good between the Section Chief and the team right now and had been for some time. He didn’t know what happened between Alex and Erin but he knew his wife could ruffle serious feathers. She’d certainly done it enough to him over time. He’d keep an eye on the situation though. 

Erin wasn’t the same as she used to be for a number of reasons. He wasn’t going to let anyone take her back down that road. It was closed and that was the end of it. But he wouldn’t butt in because he didn’t want her to kill him. Thrice divorced rule #23…if she doesn’t want to talk about it, you're not talking about it until she does. Dave promised himself the fourth time would be a charm and not a battle.

“I'm so tired of saying I'm sorry. I'm not saying that apologies aren’t warranted but how much is too much.”

“To me?” he asked glancing at her again. Erin had practically whispered it and Dave wasn’t even sure she was talking to him. The ride had been mostly quiet, 70s slow songs on the radio enough for them both. It was enough to listen to Roberta Flack sing _The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face_. 

“To everyone.”

“Then you have to stop it. There comes a time when you’ve done all you can do. We’ve probably apologized to each other a million times for a billion things over the years. Sometimes we accept it and sometimes we don’t. You know that words get hollow after a while. Actions speak louder anyway; they always have. If you're sorry about something then don’t let it happen again. Be the person you want to be and not the person someone thinks you are.”

“Who’s someone?” Erin asked.

“I mean anyone; I even mean me. All that matters is waking up everyday and being the best Erin you can be. Fuck the rest.” Dave held out his hand. “Five cents please.”

Erin laughed. She gave him five, slapping her hand on his and Dave held on to it. Then he kissed it.

“There's the best laugh in the whole wide world. I know that to be true because I've traveled almost everywhere.”

“Thank you.”

“I love you…I’ll always love you. Even when we fight I still love you.”

“I think we’re mostly done with that. You and I have had enough fights to last a lifetime. I like the making up part much better these days.”

“Damn skippy baby; you and me both.”

“We’re going home to make up a lot.” Erin smiled.

“What are we making up for this time?” Dave asked.

“Lost time; you're one of the few people I really enjoy doing that with.”

***


End file.
